


the glory fades

by Pomfry



Category: Servamp (Anime & Manga), 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crossover, Depression, Get fucking recked villains, Parental Yagi Toshinori | All Might, Protective Tsubaki, Summoning the Occult, Undecided Relationship(s), it does not go well
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2018-06-26
Packaged: 2019-05-20 18:08:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14899421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pomfry/pseuds/Pomfry
Summary: Tsubaki spares a glance to Lilac. His subclass, his to protect, his to -Something pushes him off the building, and he falls into a pool of black, too fast to feel anything other than surprise.(In which Tsubaki is summoned into the world of quirks and nothing goes to plan, much to the villain's irritation.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Servamp of Melancholy and his Eve](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14557545) by [Ren_Heart](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ren_Heart/pseuds/Ren_Heart). 



> hello! This is my first time writing for the bnha fandom, so i hope it runs out well, haha. This was inspired by the above fic, and it made me think - what is tsubaki was forced into the bnaha world?
> 
> and so this was born.

Tsubaki is - he’s scared. His subclass are hurt, injured, and he just - left them behind to the mercy of C3. Sakuya is gone, too, but he’s not taken, not like the others.

Tsubaki knows just how ruthless C3 can be, knows that his subclass will be kept locked up. At least, he consoles himself as he lands on a building, setting an unconscious Lilac gently on the stone, they will be getting out soon. That, at least, is a plus.

He sits, pulls a leg to his chest as he stares out on the city. The building is smoking, the electricity sparking, and he breathes in the rainy air.

Sensei didn’t say  _ anything  _ about him. He didn’t - didn’t say a thing. Tsubaki puts his forehead on his knee, trying to rationalize it. He didn’t say anything because he was killed before he could. He didn’t say a thing, didn’t say a word, and - it hurts. He spent so long wondering why none of his siblings came, why none of them knew him, and this is his answer.

Sensei didn’t tell Sleepy Ash about him.

He breathes out a shaky breath, feeling tears sting his eyes. He’s operating so long on anger, on melancholy and sadness, that when it’s all stripped away he feels...empty. He feels numb, feels like his entire world has crashed down to his knees, and in some ways it has.

...He misses Higan. Higan was always there when Tsubaki needed him, always knew what to say. Higan was one of his very first subclasses, one of the first ones, and it happened when he was lonely and living on the streets. Aimless and wandering, he’d run into Higan and - 

Higan had taken him home, cleaned him up. Fixed his clothes and gave him food. Tsubaki had missed that. It didn’t matter that Higan was a pyromaniac in his free time. Tsubaki liked him, and when the cops shot him -

Tsubaki had slipped in, fed him a little bit of blood. Higan had woken up, his eyes from brown to red, and the rest is history.

He’d just  _ left him there - _

Tsubaki sucks in a breath that rattles in his lungs.

“It was necessary,” he says to himself, and his shoulders shake. It wasn’t necessary, it  _ wasn’t.  _ Tsubaki could have taken all of them. It wouldn’t have been an issue, it wouldn’t -

Tsubaki could have done more than run away like a damn coward. He could have fought the man off, could have made it so that they all could have escaped, dammit. He could have -

_ Bring me,  _ whispers a voice in his ear, and Tsubaki jerks, shoulders twitching.

Tsubaki swings his head up, standing as he summons his sword. “Who’s there?”

The words seem to dance on the wind; Tsubaki shivers, relaxes his stance. He needs to be loose, not tense.

_ A creature that’s strong. _

Tsubaki spares a glance to Lilac. His subclass, his to protect, his to -

Something pushes him off the building, and he falls into a pool of black, too fast to feel anything other than surprise. 

The black seems to go on forever, and Tsubaki manages to flip himself right side up, fear on his mind and anger in his blood.

He falls for ages, a never-ending darkness, but he never lets go of his sword for a moment.

Lilac, he thinks with something close to desperation. He was torn away from Lilac when the situation was just beginning to turn dire -

And he lands on his feet in a circle, his haori ruffling around his ankles. There’s people surrounding him, looking at him with greed and awe in their eyes, and it makes his skin  _ crawl.  _ It reminds him of the early days of C3, when the scientists would break out their tools and ask him questions and -

He takes a breath, grips his sword tight.

“Where am I?” he says, low and deadly, and camellias start to drop from his sleeve.

This place isn’t familiar. It has candles around him, hooded figures in between them, and Tsubaki -

Tsubaki only has concerns for his subclass, for Lilac and Sakuya, who he doesn’t even know if he’s okay. He only has concerns for Higan, for getting back home.

“You’re in our world,” says a person gleefully. “I summoned you here. There’s no way back.”

No way back. No way  _ back - _

Tsubaki’s heart climbs into his throat. No way back to his subclass, to his goal, and they have the  _ gall to laugh at it? _

The blade sinks into the speaker’s stomach in a moment, and Tsubaki doesn’t feel a flicker of regret as the man gasps, blood on his lips.

The rest of the group scatters and Tsubaki lets them. That man is the one who summoned him her, the one who tore him away from all he knew. Tsubaki isn’t likely to forgive that.

He pulls his sword out, vanishing it with a thought, and crouches in front of his summoner, smiling and tilting his head.

“My name is Tsubaki,” he says sweetly. “You made a big mistake summoning me here.”

The man wheezes out an answer. Tsubaki clicks his tongue.

“That just won’t do,” he muses, and right when the man’s eyes widen in terror, police sirens start to wail outside.

Tsubaki narrows his eyes, tsks under his breath. “Dammit.”

He stands, beginning to leave. His work here is done, even as his heart sings his subclass’ names. He can’t go back, not right now, but he will find a way. He  _ will. _

His determination simply leaves him tired.

 

\--

 

Tsubaki wanders for a bit after he abandons the summoning place. He wanders as a fox, slipping through the crowds like water and simply thinking.

They wanted him to cause destruction. They wanted him to cause havoc. He doesn’t want to do that. He had said he was a tool, a means to an end to his brother, but that’s only for Sensei. Only for him, and -

And even then, after that fight, his devotion has wavered.

“Kacchan, that’s not nice!”   


“Stupid Deku, get out of my way!”

Tsubaki glances up from his nap, eyes focusing on two children. One’s crying, shaking, and the other is obviously the bully.

Now that just won’t do.

Tsubaki stands on all four feet, twin tails waving in the air, and casts an illusion. Red rain starts pouring down, hitting the ground with a small plip, and Tsubaki makes his way over there as the children glance around in confusion.

“That’s not very nice,” Tsubaki says, his voice echoing. “Why can’t we all get along?”

“What kind of quirk is this?” the crying child murmurs, wiping at his eyes.

Tsubaki adjusts the illusion to show himself, show the tail that flames in his mind, and the kids jerk around to stare at him.

“Children,” he sighs without moving his mouth. “Not interesting at all.”

“If we’re not interesting,” spits the bully, “then why don’t you  _ fuck off?” _

Little explosions fire from his palms; Tsubaki watches with interest. Odd, but after watching others with abilities like that, it doesn’t surprise him. He laughs, softly at first then growing, cackling for all it’s worth. “You really are naive, aren’t you?”

They all look unnerved by his laughter, but the crying child is watching him with something close to interest in his face.

“Now why don’t you run along,” he says, smooth as silk, “and leave him alone. Unless -” and here his eyes go wide, the rain starts pounding against their head, he starts laughing, laughing, laughing- “you want to go against me.”

He drops the illusion, and the children leave, though not without a final sneer. Tsubaki rolls his eyes and turns to the green haired on, sitting on the ground and staring at him. He scoffs, laying down and curling up. His job is done.

Then -

Gentle hands pick him up, cradle him in arms much too small, and Tsubaki opens his eyes to see freckles and a curious gaze.

“What a cool quirk!” he exclaims, nearly giggling with excitement. “The way you made it rain - that was awesome! Do you think Mom would let me take you home?”

A home wouldn’t be bad, Tsubaki thinks, and looks over the boy’s shoulder. He doesn’t want to talk - let him think that it’s a quirk - and from the way the boy is mumbling, it wouldn’t exactly be welcome either.

“It’s pretty rare for animals to develop quirks, let alone intricate ones like that,” he kid rambles, and steps into an apartment building, taking the stairs two at a time. “Maybe your quirk is to control everything within the rain - Mom, I’m home!”

“Welcome back!” calls a woman, wiping her hands on a dish towel. Tsubaki eyes her critically. She seems nice, although he isn’t sure. He likes this child. “Izuku, why do you have a fox?”

“I found him” Izuku holds him out, smiling proudly. Tsubaki lets him because he thinks that this kid could be a good subclass, and he adores his subclass. “Can I keep him?”

The mother pretends to think about it, putting a hand on her chin, and Izuku puts on the full force puppy dog eyes. Tsubaki gives her a pout too. He doesn’t want to stay on the streets.

“Please?”

“Okay, okay,” the mom laughs, reaching out to ruffle her son’s hair. “You can keep him. Just make sure that you train him right.”

“Mom, he has a quirk! He’s intelligent, he can understand you,” Izuku whines, and Tsubaki barks his agreement, unpleased with that statement. He doesn’t need to be trained!

The mother laughs, nods her head, and the two humans banter with each other playfully.

Tsubaki thinks that he’s going to like this family, even if he’s only going to be here for a little while.

 

\--

 

A year passes in the blink of an eye. Tsubaki stays in fox form, curling up and purring with Izuku when he comes home and wanders the streets as a human when both Inko and izuku are gone. Inko reminds him painfully of a subclass he had once upon a time, when Sakuya was young. She has the same name and the same kind disposition, and sometimes Tsubaki looks at her and sees his subclass.

He avoids her those days.

Izuku, though - he comes home with bruises and tears in his eyes, and Tsubaki makes sure he’s okay, licks his face and plays with him. Bakugou - the bully, the one with explosions living in his hands - causes it, causes his boy’s distress, and Tsubaki takes great joy in causing chaos in his life.

Like now.

Tsubaki crouches in the shadows of the night, his red eyes flashing. Bakugou is studying in his room, cursing once in a while and pressing his hand against an old rag when he gets frustrated. Tsubaki is in his form human, haori settling on his shoulders.

Bakugou and Izuku’s relationship reminds Tsubaki vaguely of his relationship with C3. Antagonistic, with weaknesses and advantages taken hold of, used ruthlessly. Izuku has left with notebooks filled to the brim with observations and sketches and returned with nothing but burn pages.

That happened today.

Tsubaki grins, laughs. Bakugou stiffens, eyes narrowing, and Tsubaki just laughs and laughs and laughs. Often times, Tsubaki just laughs outside his window, laughs in his face until the boy is nearly seething, but when he marches outside to find the person, he finds nothing but a fox sleeping by a bush.

Tsubaki finds this whole thing hilarious, and it shows.

Tonight, though -

Tonight, he’s going to go inside Bakugou’s room when he’s asleep and rearrange everything five centimeters to the left. He’s going to go  _ insane.  _ It’s petty, yes, but - Izuku had foregone him, went straight to his room and curled up on his bed, crying silent tears.

Tsubaki, against his better judgment, has become rather attached to the boy. He hasn’t stopped searching for a way home, hasn’t given up hope, but - 

The home they’ve given him, the peace, it sticks with him. It’s mellowed him out, given him some stability in his high tension life. For  _ so long _ he’s been running on fumes, on fickle ground. He loves his subclass, adores them with everything he has, but they’re not the most mentally sane of people. Tsubaki isn’t either, granted. He collects those who have been forgotten, disgraced, thrown away. Higan was forgotten, Otogiri disgraced. Both Sakuya and Belkia had been thrown away. He’d picked them up, given them care and made them shine. They’re happy with him.

Izuku fits the categories, and he’s one of Tsubaki’s precious family because of it.

Tsubaki’s family doesn’t know him. So he makes a family that does.

He pushes a pencil over a few centimeters and ghosts into the bathroom, moving everything. For good measure, he does the same with things in the kitchen.

The parents are out - on a date - so that leaves only the sleeping boy in the bed and the spite driven servamp.

A smirk tugs at his lips. He likes this world. There’s no C3 to oppose him, nothing that could permanently hurt him. Nothing can stop him. He likes this world. He prefers his old one.

Bakugou shuffles on the bed, eyes flickering, and Tsubaki slides out the window, lands lightly on his feet, and turns into a fox to walk smugly on the way home.

Yes, things are turning out great in his opinion.

 

\--

 

Then Izuku meets All Might and everything goes wonky. He comes home exhausted but smiling, more cheerful than he’s been in years, and Tsubaki, wanting the best for his maybe future subclass, tags along a week in.

“Hello, my boy!” a thin man says, grinning. Tsubaki looks him over critically. He’s dangerously thin, but there’s a swing to his steps that says he knows how to fight. This must be All Might, he decides, although he doesn’t know how.

“All Might!” Izuku returns, bouncing on the heels of his toes. Tsubaki chitters, leaping onto the sand from Izuku’s shoulder. He has a feeling this is why Izuku has been getting stronger, if only by a little. The beach is getting cleared, and Izuku is already rolling up his sleeves. “This is Makoto, my pet fox. He insisted on coming with us.”

Tsubaki struts over to All Might, his tails curling in the air. The man leans down, rubbing at the fur between his ear. It feels good, but that doesn’t mean Tsubaki likes him. He’s been burned too many times for that.

“Hello,” the man says softly, and Tsubaki squints at him, lays down at his feet. All Might laughs, turns to Izuku. “Go on and start. I’ll be right here.”

Izuku gives him a knowing glance but nods, tugging a large piece of metal to the other side of the beach. Tsubaki watches him go, content to stay here.

He’ll be showing up the rest of the days to be sure, he thinks, and snuggles up onto the warm sand.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A wild Shouto appears!

Toshinori has always liked kids. They’re balls of pure sunshine concentrated into human bodies. He’s wanted one of his own, but -

But being the symbol of peace effectively stole that option from him. As much as he would like to have a family, keeping the world safe - keeping innocent people safe - is his calling, what he was made for.

After meeting Izuku, though -

He thinks that this is what being a father is like. He’s _proud_ of his boy’s accomplishments, proud of him to an extent he didn’t even know was possible. He - didn’t know that caring this deeply for someone was possible. He wants Izuku to be safe, to be happy, and even though being a hero is dangerous, even though he knows his boys will risk his life every day, Toshinori knows that he won’t be happy doing anything else.

Izuku is a person who wants to help at any means, even if it means he’s hurt. That's just the type of person he is, and Toshinori admires him for that.

Makoto chitters at him, eyeing him disdainfully. Toshinori chuckles, gently rubbing at the spot between his ears. This fox is oddly intelligent, smart in a way that only the principal of Yuuei is. Toshinori thinks that Makoto knows far more than he lets on, thinks that he has an IQ rivaling a human.

He knows that Makoto is protective of Izuku. Toshinori had passed the test, but he doesn't doubt that if someone posed a threat to Izuku they would get a swift bite to the wrist and a limpet hanging from their arm.

“You’re a weird one,” he says lightly, picking the fox up. “But I’m glad you’re here.”

Toshinori doesn’t know how Izuku would be if he didn’t have Makoto, and he isn’t sure he wants to. Izuku’s self esteem is already so fragile, already so breakable, and sometimes he comes to the beach with a look in his eyes that Toshinori dreads ever seeing. Makoto is there, though. He’s curled around Izuku’s shoulders, tails brushing against his ears and licking his cheeks. Makoto is a support system, a friend, and a pet all in one fox with sharp eyes.

Makoto barks, waves his tails. Izuku is heaving a plate of steel to the right, cheeks pink with exertion, and Makoto’s eyes narrow. He leaps out of Toshinori’s arms and trots over to his owner, rubbing up against the boy’s legs. Izuku stops immediately, smiling down at the little fox, and the two begin to play.

Toshinori sits down, leans against a piece of trash, and simply watches. He really does like having the two of them around. They’re like his own children, in a way. It’s only been two months since this training started, only a week later since Makoto joined them, but he couldn’t imagine it any other way. Makoto keeps them both happy, reminds them that there is a reason to stop once in a while.

Makoto curls up in Izuku’s lap, and the boy giggles, running his hand down his back. Makoto’s purr is rumbling, and once again Toshinori thinks that fox must have a quirk.

He smiles, leans his head back as blood wells in the back of his throat. This break is well deserved, he must admit. They’ve been working since nine in the morning and it’s one now. It’s time for lunch.

“My boy,” he calls, and Izuku’s head swings up, eyes instantly focusing on him, “let’s go get lunch.”

Izuku’s face lights up, and Makoto scrambles onto his shoulders as he stands. “Okay!” he says, happy to spend any time with Toshinori as he always is. “Where do you want to go?”

Toshinori puts a finger on his lips, pretending to contemplate it. Considering he’s the number one hero and has been for over a decade, there’s really no need for him to be overly conscious of money, no matter how much he likes to be. But - this is his treat for them. So he smiles again and says beyond the blood in his mouth, “Wherever you want, my boy.”

Izuku makes his way over, mumbling to himself in that endearing fashion of his. “Maybe that sukiyaki place, or that restaurant that sells pancakes. Or maybe that ramen place Mom once took us -”

Makoto barks at word ramen, and Izuku laughs at the action. “Alright, ramen it is. All Might, do you mind -”

“Not at all,” Toshinori assures, and gets to his feet as well, an ache starting in the wound on his side. “Ramen sounds excellent.”

Izuku smiles shakily, one hand automatically reaching up to pet Makoto on the head. The fox allows it with an air of concern, looking at the boy with worried eyes.

Anxiety is a beast Toshinori doesn't understand. It isn't one he can punch away, isn't one he can intimidate. Anxiety is something that makes Izuku falter in his steps, his breath hitch in his throat. Toshinori doesn't know how to help, but he's learning. He's going to his friends, to Recovery Girl for help on how to assist Izuku more than he could.

Izuku is timid, is uncertain. Toshinori knows that he could be more, could be firm instead of shaking, stable instead of shaking. He’s seen in it in his resolve, seen it in his eyes. Makoto has too, clearly, and has been trying to encourage it for years now.

Without Makoto, Toshinori doesn’t think that Izuku could be as - well, confident as he is now.

“Makoto,” Izuku says, giggling as the fox rubs his head against his owner's cheek. “Stop. We have to leave and then come back to clear up more of the beach.”

Makoto isn’t happy with that information, because he smacks Izuku in the face with one of his tails. Izuku squawks, indignant, and Toshinori laughs roughly past the smarting in his throat.

“C’mon, my boy,” he says, feeling fonder than he has in years. “Let’s go get some ramen.”

“Alright!” Izuku hurries after him,  exchanging words with Makoto, who responds with chitters and growls.

Toshinori tugs on his coat, hiding his smile against his collar. Yes,  this is a good arrangement. He doesn’t really want it to change for the world.

 

\--

 

All Might isn’t so bad, Tsubaki muses as he lounges on the couch as a human, arms crossed behind his head. He’s a nice guy, certainly, and a good influence on Izuku. A strong father figure in his boy’s life is a must, and All Might provides that along with the typical fatherly behavior like calling Izuku squirt.

“Makoto!” Izuku yells, and Tsubaki leaps to his feet, frowning. Izuku sounds distressed, and he’s - well, he’s family after all these years. Tsubaki would do anything for family.

(Sometimes he still thinks of Sakuya, of Lilac and Higan and Belkia and all the others, and his heart _hurts._ He wants to go _home._

He always curls up next to Izuku on days like that, curls up and cries despite Izuku’s frantic questions about what’s wrong.)

“Makoto! Come here!”

Tsubaki sighs, taking a step forward and folding down into a fox. He hasn’t used his so called quirk in years in front of Izuku. He would be halfway afraid he would be getting rusty if not for the practice he snatches in the dead of the night.

He is, after all, a vampire. There is no need for him to rest.

A few years back, Inko had asked if they could install a dog door in the entrance door so he could come and go as he pleased. They’d gotten permission, and it had been a fun day in which Inko had nearly cried from frustration, Izuku had cuddled Tsubaki, and Tsubaki had taken pity upon them both and knocked over the box holding the screw necessary.

It’s been five years since then, Tsubaki muses as he slips through the little square hole. Bakugou has calmed down a bit, spooked by the small pranks played upon him. He’s far from stupid and had connected the dots. He doesn’t explode Izuku’s notebooks anymore, at least. Tsubaki is far from satisfied, but he understands that he can’t do much more if he doesn’t want to reveal his cover.

Strutting down the hallway, tails curling in the air, Tsubaki thinks.

Since he arrived here - since he found Izuku, really - he’s more...quiet. He doesn’t feel as numb as he once did. Before, everything was dulled, was hidden behind an opaque window, and no matter how many time she tried to wipe the cloudiness away he never could.

Here, though - here, where he's so separated from his past, here where he’s able to lay around without feeling the urge to plan - it’s less foggy. It’s not clear, no, but he doubts that it ever will be. But - he likes it here.

He wants his subclass here, away from the fighting. He wants them here with Izuku, with Inko. He wants them away from their past. He wants -

Ah, he reached the stairs.

The stairs that head down to the next floor are his mortal enemy, and when Izuku comes to the bottom of them to see what’s taking him so long, he finds Tsubaki glaring murder at them. He huffs a laugh, goes up there, and picks Tsubaki up, chuckling at the way the vampire snuggles close.

Tsubaki hasn’t felt this content in years. Before, he was happy, yes, but -

But there was always Sensei’s expectations for him hanging over him. Here, there’s none of that. It’s only Izuku and Inko and their happiness that’s at stake. Here, he has a different name, a family that’s different than the one he already has, and -

Tsubaki sighs into Izuku’s hair, and his boy giggles. “Makoto, All Might entrusted me to his power and I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it all in ten months.”

Tsubaki tilts his head. Hm? He lets out a bark of confusion.

“I have to get my body up to standard.” Izuku sighs. “I think I’ll have to do some workouts on the side.”

What? No! That will only make things worse!

Tsubaki smacks his boy on the arm with his tails. You stupid boy, he thinks, and smacks him again. Izuku frowns at him, gently holding the tails away “Makoto, stop it.”

 _I’ll stop it when you use that big brain of yours,_ Tsubaki retorts in his head, and growls at his boy lightly. _Overworking will only lead to negative results!_ _  
_

Izuku’s eyes widen. Tsubaki hasn’t growled at him in years. Not like that anyways. “You really don’t want me to do that, huh?” He sits down on the stairs as Tsubaki shakes his head firmly. No, he does not.

“My boy?”

They both look up to see All Might staring down at them curiously. “Yes?” Izuku says, and winces when his voice cracks from embarrassment.

“Why are you sitting here?” All Might couches down, smiling a little. On his emancipated face, it appears odd, but Tsubaki likes it well enough. When Izuku remains silent, his lips tilt down. “Midoriya?”

“Ah, just thinking,” Izuku says, forcing a chuckle. “What would happen if I went over the training schedule?"

All Might immediately frowns. “That would be bad. You would be exhausted and out of energy all of the time, and your muscles would be overworked  Not a thing to want, believe me.”

“Then I guess Makoto was right.” Izuku hangs his head, resting a hand on Tsubaki’s back. “I told him that I was thinking of doing that and he smacked me with his tails.”

All Might laughs at that. “What a smart fox.”

 _The smartest,_ Tsubaki corrects in his mind, and turns on his back so his stomach is facing outwards. _Now pet me._

 

_\--_

 

One day, Tsubaki is out wandering the streets with Izuku, All Might out and about - getting them ice cream - and he sees -

He sees the number two hero.

Izuku immediately starts mumbling, eyes wide and sparkling, but Tsubaki focuses on the kid with the hero. He looks about Izuku’s age, with a scar around his eye and his hair double toned; the left red and the right white.

There’s something about him that makes Tsubaki feel like nothing is quite right. Maybe it’s the way his hands are clenched. Maybe it’s the way he grits his teeth. Maybe it’s the scar; old and too noticeable. Maybe it’s his demeanor, the way it reminds Tsubaki of Sakuya before he finally made him realize that, _no, nobody is going to hurt you, I_ **_promise._ **

It could be any one of those things. But Tsubaki stares from Izuku’s shoulder as they pass, and decides quietly that boy will become one of his subclass. He will save him from that home, even if he has to tear Endeavor’s throat out. He will save him.

It’s - just what he does. He won’t change it for anyone. He saves those who are - unwanted for themselves, for their personalities and interests. He saves them just like he will save this boy, and Tsubaki jumps from Izuku’s shoulder, trotting after them. He ignores Izuku’s small shout of surprise, his frantic yells of Makoto, because soon he will bring home a new family member. He just needs to find his opportunity.

And he finds it when Endeavor goes inside and building and the boy doesn’t.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ah yes a shouto pov

Shouto doesn’t know what’s going on, exactly, but he knows that it’s not a good idea for him to be tagging along with his father. For one, he could be stopped. And two - he could do something that upset Father for one reason or another and he  _ will _ pay for it later. He just - he doesn’t know why Father insisted for him to come with him, doesn’t know why he told him to stay outside, but -

He’s grateful. If he just stands here, then he won’t do anything Father disapproves of. He won’t do anything Father will find fault with.

He breathes out, leans against the building. If he does this, then when he gets home he should be able to just go to his room without having to fight. The day is cold, a little more than usual, and he warms himself up with a bit of fire on his fingertips as he crosses his arms. He hates his fireside, hates it with a passion, but little things like this are fine. He isn’t doing anything that could harm anyone - if anything, he could only accidentally burn himself but nothing more.

A fox trots up to him, twin tails waving in the air, and Shouto blinks down at it as it sits down in front of him. Shouto raises an eyebrow at it, closing his eyes for half a second and opening them to red rain. He jerks to attention, ice growing beneath his feet, and the fox is still there, staring at him with knowing eyes.

“So,” the fox says. “I’m guessing that Endeavor is horrible?”

Shouto stares. A quirk in an animal? One that is  _ this _ powerful? Unheard of. This is a quirk meant for humans, for heroes.

“Oi.” The tails lash behind it. “Don’t ignore me.” It takes a step closer and Shouto takes a step back, hitting the wall behind him. “I said that Endeavor is horrible.” Another step forward. “Am I wrong?”

Shouto’s mind races. Did his father do something to this fox? Did the fox notice something? What had brought this on?

“I - “

The fox sighs, sitting back on its haunches. “I was right.” It lowers its head sadly. “Well, no matter. How would you like to come with me?”

Shouto chokes. “What?”

The fox sits up. “I take in those who are from homes that are not as good as they should be. I take in those who are unwanted, bullied, hurt. I take in everyone who needs me and  _ you  _ need me.”

“Who are you?” Shouto manages, his heartbeat thundering in his ears. It could be a quirk from a human, he theorizes, frost on his fingers. Could be a quirk that lets illusions show whatever the user wants.

The fox laughs. “My name,” it purrs, “is Tsubaki. And I’m going to be your savior one way or another. It’s only a matter of time before I lose my patience with Endeavor. He’s treated so many people horribly. I bet even Envy’s eve’s Lead would work on him.”

Shouto has absolutely no idea what is going on and he severely wants to. The threat is there, clear as day, but - he doesn’t know what he can do against an opponent who he can’t even see. He doesn’t know what to do next - he doesn’t have a license, so he can’t do  _ anything. _ And it’s not like the fox is actually hurting anyone. It isn't causing a public disturbance. By all means, they're just having a conversation; albeit a conversation that would set anyone on edge.

Speaking of, the fox is right in front of him, and ice inches forward. “Get away.”

The fox sighs again. “You humans are so stubborn,” he laments, and rolls his eyes. “No matter. Next time your father beats you within an inch of your life -” and here Shouto flinches because that  _ has _ happened before, when his father had a bad day at work or when Shouto wasn’t up to par - “just call this number and I’ll come to get you.” Numbers burn in the air in front of him and Shouto memorizes it. If this is true, if this is possible - then he will be able to get out of his father’s grasp. But - then again, he could turn it into the police. Could give it to his father. He could do a lot of things.

Instead, he takes out a pen, scrawls the numbers on his palm, and resists the urge to frown at the Tsubaki’s elation that he even does so. “Now - what are you? What is your quirk?”

“Oh, I don’t have one,” Tsubaki replies casually, as though he hasn’t thrown something that breaks everything Shouto knows. “I do, however, have something else that I’m not willing to share with you. You’ll most likely find out later.”

Shouto - doesn’t want to find out what he means, really. “I would like to know now.”

“And I would rather you find out when I save you,” Tsubaki counters, and grabs his pants leg with his teeth, trying to pull him to the right, back in the direction they came from. “Now come on. I have someone I want you to meet.”

“I’m not moving,” Shouto says, and locks his knees. This fox is strong; he almost made Shouto stumble the way he was moving. “I don’t want my father getting angry.” His ribs still ache from the day before, when he'd accidentally snapped at his father for entering his room, believing him to be one of his siblings. It's all the motivation he needs to not make him so much as annoyed.

Tsubaki's tails twitch, his eyes glint. His nails dig into the concrete as he lets go of of Shouto’s pants. “I see,” he says, quiet and threatening, and the rain starts to taper off, the red fading away. Shouto stiffens, fingers curling into his palm. The technique is going away, people are starting to notice him again, and he doesn’t know what the fox is going to do next, doesn’t know what is going to happen next. It - scares him, to be completely honest. It scares him because the unknown is threatening, unwelcome, and he - 

Tsubaki snorts, nudging Shouto’s leg with his nose. “Calm down,” he tells him, sounding bemused. “I’m not going to steal you away.” He pauses. “Well, unless you want me to. Then I’ll gladly take you away.”

The red is completely gone and Tsubaki is looking at him with something knowing in his gaze and Shouto swallows past the lump in his throat. The fox doesn’t say anything more, but Shouto knows he wants to, knows that he could. But he won’t. Shouto doesn’t know why, but -

“Makoto!” a deep voice calls. Tsubaki turns his head to look as a tall man with blonde hair wanders down the sidewalk.

“Makoto, where are you?” shouts another voice, this time of the cadence of a middle schooler; someone around Shouto’s age, maybe. Tsubaki yips loud enough to be heard, and a boy with green hair pushes through the crowd, his big eyes brightening in relief when he sees them. “Makoto!”

Tsubaki - is it Makoto? - chitters, jumping on his feet as the boy drops to his knees a few feet away, opening his arms. The fox - Shouto decides to hold off on the names until he gets confirmation - practically slams into the boy’s chest, nuzzling his chest. The man stops by them, helping the boy up and coughing into a palm.

“Makoto, you know better than to run off,” the boy scolds, and the fox looks utterly unrepentant. The boy sighs, smiling at the man and turning to Shouto. “Sorry about him. This is Makoto, my pet fox.” He points towards Makoto, who stares steadily back at Shouto. “Um. My name is Midoriya Izuku.” Midoriya bows, carefully supporting the fox as he does so. “A-And this is Al -”

“Yagi Toshinori,” the man smoothly interrupts, bowing as well. Shouto blinks at all three of them. “A pleasure to meet you.”

Shouto twitches. Midoriya almost said something else, something other than that name, but the Yagi clearly doesn’t want him to say it, Shouto thinks, judging by the flash of apology on the boy’s face. But - it would be seen as rude if he didn’t introduce himself as well, and anything said against the house of Todoroki is seen as a slight against his father. Which might end up taken out on him or his siblings, which is  _ never _ okay.

“Todoroki Shouto,” he says robotically, bending at the waist, and both of them smile at him. Makoto can’t, but Shouto definitely feels smugness coming off him. 

“Nice to meet you,” Midoriya stammers, nearly tripping over his words, and Shouto almost -  _ almost  _ smiles. It’s...cute to see someone so obviously nervous by  _ everything. _ “Um. Thank you for taking care of Makoto while he was with you. I don’t know what I would do without him.” He laughs, rubbing the back of his head, and Shouto’s vision focuses in on the fox, on the way he is practically saying  _ see? I made his life better. I can do it for you. _

Shouto narrows his eyes, feeling his scar pull with the motion. “It’s fine,” he says, and watches as Midoriya turns pink. “Really. I didn’t do much beyond watch him.”

“Still!” Midoriya insists, and smiles shyly. “Why don’t you come with lunch with us? I - we just had ice cream, well the ice cream was given away to someone else because they were crying and Makoto had disappeared, but -”

“Midoriya, my boy,” Yagi interrupts, placing a hand on his shoulder. “You’re rambling.”

Midoriya’s light blush turns into a full on red. “I - uh. Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Shouto replies as the crowd mills around them, some on their phones and others in a hurry. “And I don’t need a thank you.”

“I insist!” Midoriya bursts, then hangs his head in embarrassment. “I mean - I  -"

Shouto can’t leave him like that. It’s just cruel. “I can text my father,” he offers, and Midoriya nods rapidly. He tugs out his phone, feeling Makoto’s eyes on him the whole time, and types out,  _ A boy is asking to take me for lunch for saving his fox. Will I be able to go? _

They wait, for a few moments, during which Midoriya gently scolds the fox and Yagi looks on with a look in his eyes, not unlike fatherly pride. Then his phone buzzes and he looks down automatically. His eyes widen, because, well. This is a surprise.

_ The meeting is going on longer than expected. You may go, provided you are here at fifteen past three. _

This  _ never _ happens. He’s going to grab this with both hands and grip it.

“I can,” he announces, and Midoriya face lights up, Makoto clawing his way up to his shoulder and sitting there.

“That’s great!” he enthuses, and starts to walk away. “We were going to a sushi place that allows pets - it’s a little more on the expensive side, but All - Yagi-san that he’s going to pay and to not worry about the price.” He glances over his shoulder. “You do like sushi, right? If not, we can find another restaurant.” His fingers twist in his shirt and Makoto tenderly bites his ear to get him to stop; he jerks when teeth nip his ear but his hands fall away from the edge and that’s all that matters in Makoto’s opinion, judging by the way the fox settles down again. “Ah - sorry.”

“No need to apologize,” he says automatically, and wonders how many times he’s going to be saying that. By the expression on Yagi’s face, it will be often. “Besides, you’re treating me to lunch. Who am I to have any say in the matter?”

“But - that’s exactly why you should!” Midoriya turns around, waving his arms around, and the fox on his shoulder turns to face the right way, tails resting against Midoriya’s chest. “It’s just common courtesy, I mean -”

Yagi chuckles. “Just say that you like sushi,” he mumbles. “Otherwise he will be going on and on.”

Indeed, Midoriya is rambling, Makoto smacking his arm with a tail when he comes close to hitting someone, and he adjusts his course without thinking. Shouto watches in amusement, wondering how many times they bumped into someone before they worked this out.

“Midoriya,” he interjects, and the boy stops talking. “I like sushi. Don’t worry.”

Midoriya opens his mouth, closes it, and slows down enough that they catch up to him, turning on his heel so he’s facing the same way as they are. “Right. Sorry. I’m not good at this.”

“Neither am I,” Shouto replies simply, reaching to softly pet Makoto. It’s more of a momentarily brush against fur, but Midoriya laughs all the same, looking towards Yagi.

“Not even strangers can resist his charm,” he says cheekily, and Yagi laughs too. If he was louder, it would be booming, Shouto can’t help but notice. Like All Might’s laugh.

“So it seems!” the man agrees, and Makoto barks at them both, seemingly offended. Shouto almost feels like an outsider until Midoriya turns to him, smiling bright enough to outshine the sun, and Shouto wonders how he’s always so nervous.

“Makoto has a quirk,” he says, and Shouto raises a brow, remembering the words the fox had said to him not twenty minutes ago.

_ “Oh, I don’t have one,” Tsubaki replied casually. _

Why did he say he didn’t have a quirk but his owner does? What’s going on in the conniving brain of that fox’s head?

“Oh?” he says instead, and Midoriya nods happily.

“He’s a rare case, but - well, he’s a rare fox. A two tailed fox isn’t something seen every day, even in this world of ours.” He smiles down at Makoto. “So I really think that he’s a good fox.”

Shouto - finds himself agreeing. He’s an odd fox for sure - odd and threatening and fight gully perceptive - but he’s a good fox. A good specimen of his kind. “I suppose he is.”

 

\--

 

Tsubaki is very,  _ very _ satisfied with this turn of events. The kid - Todoroki Shouto - is getting along well with Izuku and Toshinori is not coughing up blood, which is a plus. In his world, people called each other by their first name, their given name, not their last name. It’s the reason he calls Mahiru...well, Mahiru. It’s a Western custom that quickly became integrated with Japan’s. But - here, you call people by their family name instead of their given name, and it’s - weird to him.

No matter, he thinks, and wiggles his way out of Izuku’s grasp, right into Toshinori’s arms. Toshinori catches him with little fanfare and once Izuku makes sure he’s alright, he turns back to his conversation with Shouto, gesturing with his hands as he makes his point. Shouto is quietly engaged, eyes focusing on Tsubaki’s...future subclass, and he makes a few comments now and then. Tsubaki purrs at the sight of it. He  _ knew _ they would get along well.

“They’re having fun, aren’t they?” Toshinori whispers, looking proud. Tsubaki can sympathize, and he barks his yes. Then the number one hero purses his lips, frowning. “But that scar on young Todoroki’s face…”

It’s bad, Tsubaki finishes in his mind, and he has to agree. It’s old, clearly, too integrated into his skin for any healing quirk to do any good. And - it looks clearly caused by a something  _ hot. _

And his father is the  _ flame hero. _

Toshinori is far from an idiot - he wouldn’t have become the Symbol of Peace otherwise - and even he can see the implications. Then he sighs, running a hand through his hair. “His mother was put in the hospital when he was five. Maybe she caused it.”

But you doubt it, Tsubaki thinks, and flops his head down on Toshinori’s shoulder.

Shouto will become one of his subclass and he will escape his father. It’s just - how things go.

He smiles slightly. If only Belkia was here. He would accept Shouto into the family without any hesitation. Higan would laugh and clap Shouto on the shoulder. Sakuya would evaluate him before scoffing and that would be as good as a welcome in. Otogiri would greet him quietly and they would get along excellently.

Tsubaki blinks away the tears. He misses his family, misses them terribly. He wants them  _ here. _ Wants them away from C3, from the war that he started and the war that he isn’t sure he wants to do anymore. He just wants everyone he cares for in one place. But that’s impossible. He still hasn’t found a way home.

His tails shake with suppressed emotion as Toshinori hacks up blood.

He wants to go home. He wants everyone to be friends, to be happy, to be -

Well. He wants them safe, more than anything. But he knows that’s out of the realm of question, complete fantasy. He knows it.

It doesn’t stop him from dreaming of it.

**Author's Note:**

> I've only had Izuku for a day, but if something happened to him I would kill everyone and then myself - Tsubaki 2018.
> 
> Comments are always loved and brighten up my day and are saved in my Gmail.
> 
> Also! Here's my Tumblr. Come visit and chat with me if you want!
> 
> (My discord is NikeScarlet#8096 if you wish to talk to me there)


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